Board of Adjustment
The City of Austin Board of Adjustment (BOA) hears and decides on requests for variances (or modifications) of Zoning site development regulations, off-street parking requirements, and sign regulations, as well as hears and decides appeals of administrative actions under Chapter 25-2 (Zoning) in the City of Austin Land Development Code. The BOA consists of members appointed by the Austin City Council. For more information, visit the Board of Adjustment webpage.
What you will find on this page:
- BOA Variances
- Grant for Low-Income Homeowners
- Forms & Applications
- Fees
- Resources
- Contacts & Appointments
BOA Variances-
A variance may be granted if, because of special circumstances of a property, the strict application of the City of Austin Land Development Code regulations deprives the property owner of privileges that are enjoyed by another person who owns property in the area that has the same zoning designation as the property for which the variance is requested. A variance to a regulation may not grant special privileges that are inconsistent with the limitations on other properties in the area or in the district in which the property is located. All variances expire one year after the approval date per City Code Section 25-1-217 unless the Board decision states otherwise.
Grant for Low-Income Homeowners-
On October 1, 2023, the Board of Adjustment (BOA) launched a program to assist low-income homeowners by waiving City application fees for a residential zoning variance or special exception for their residential homesteaded property and providing access to pro-bono legal assistance in support of these applications, if needed. City Council has allocated $10,000 in funding for the first year of this program, which will allow it to serve up to 10 qualifying applicants in fiscal year 2024. Acceptance is income-based with the goal of ensuring City fees are not a barrier for residents to have equal access to property enhancements compared to their neighbors. Recipients of the City of Austin Utilities Customer Assistance Program (CAP) will automatically pre-qualify for this new BOA grant program; all they need to do is show a recent utility bill.
Forms & Applications-
For a complete list of forms and applications, visit the Board of Adjustments section of the Forms & Applications webpage.
Fees-
Board of Adjustment fees (PDF)
Resources
Contact & Appointments-
Development Services Department (DSD) staff provide support for the variance process and operation of the BOA.
Board of Adjustment Staff Liaison
For assistance and guidance with the variance application process or for information regarding the status of a pending case, contact: Elaine Ramirez | 512-974-2202
Board of Adjustment Support
For questions regarding submittal deadlines, the status of active variance requests, or final Board decisions on cases recently heard by the Board, contact: Diana Ramirez | 512-974-2241
Appointments
30-minute appointments between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. are available to answer questions related to the Board of Adjustment variance process, seek assistance with filing a variance request, or answer questions from interested parties regarding variance requests in progress.
Expected Available Times: 30 minutes
